Brussels, 17/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - Recommendations put by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in a report presented on Friday 17 July say that priority should be given to continuous medical checks for pilots, psychological assessment of pilots and training of aero-medical examiners.
“The greatest scope for change was not related to cockpit doors (Ed: even though the co-pilot on flight 9525 was able to lock himself inside the cockpit) but to wider issues including medical aspects such as aeromedical checks”, the report states in its first few lines. The task force set up by EASA at the request of Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc in May (see EUROPE 11310), says that procedures for continuous medical assessment have to be improved, with the inclusion of psychological evaluations. It proposes, too, a European aeromedical data repository and tougher training of aero-medical examiners.
Six recommendations are made by the task force that was made up of 14 experts (and not 12 as the report states).
The first is that the 2-persons-in-the-cockpit principle be maintained. This measure was imposed by EASA from 27 March. It will allow the issue of reinforced and locked cockpit doors, introduced in the wake of the Twin Towers terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001, to be discussed, the European institutions believe. EASA says, however, that the 2-persons measure should be evaluated after one year. Problems have already been highlighted if this measure were to be imposed systematically, for example, with very small cockpits (see EUROPE 11347).
Secondly, EASA recommends tough psychological evaluation, though only for pilots still training or before entering service, and not for those already in service. “From a practical point of view, it's difficult to impose a measure such as this on over one hundred thousand pilots currently working in the EU”, argued a Commission source. The training of aero-medical examiners and medical checks will also be beefed up. EASA announced that it is currently drafting a series of guidelines on this point.
Thirdly, the report proposes to mandate drugs and alcohol testing as part of a random programme of testing. These tests will be compulsory in initial Class 1 medical assessments (which include the taking of a medical history, examination and several tests, among which a general mental health assessment) or when employed by an airline, post incident, post-accident, with due cause, as part of follow-up and after a positive test result.
The fourth recommendation is for the establishment of a robust oversight programme over the performance of aero-medical examiners. In addition, national authorities should strengthen the psychological and communication aspects of aero-medical examiners training and practice to improve examiners' skills. EASA also calls for networks of aero-medical examiners to be created to foster peer support.
The fifth is for a European aero-medical data repository to be created. This proposal, to be developed by the Agency in the coming months, is causing grave concern over data protection and respect for medical confidentiality in the European Parliament and, more generally, in civil society.
Lastly, the task force recommends implementation of pilot support systems within the airlines. The idea is to have mechanisms available to pilots that would allow them, for example, to report depression or medical treatment. Some raise the objection that no pilot will voluntarily subject himself/herself to such reports for fear of jeopardising his/her career. “It is the duty of pilots to do so”, retorts an EASA source.
The Commission will now examine these recommendations in the light, too, of the opinion of the French civil aviation investigation and analysis organisation (BEA) that has been responsible for the investigation into the crash. If legislative measures prove to be necessary, EASA will draft proposals that the Commission will integrate into EU regulations through the comitology procedure. EASA will also prepare a series of non-binding guidelines and practical tools for sharing information and will be responsible for monitoring measures put in place by the member states. (Pascal Hansens)